[spintreebob]

Anyone: Is the NG really "stretched" ? What are the facts?

Anecdotally I know NG member who joined several years ago with the motivation to fight terrorists in Iraq. They and their units (one Chicagoland, one downstate) have not bee sent anywhere except WI and GA (Ft Benning). So if those who joined several years ago for the purpose of going to Iraq have not yet been sent, how "stretched" is the NG?

It isn't a rhetorical question. I really don't know and wold like to know if the "talking point" has any truth behind it.

[2banana]

Anecdotally I know NG member who joined several years ago with the motivation to fight terrorists in Iraq. They and their units (one Chicagoland, one downstate) have not bee sent anywhere except WI and GA (Ft Benning). So if those who joined several years ago for the purpose of going to Iraq have not yet been sent, how "stretched" is the NG?

Load of crap - it is easy to find a unit going OIF or OEF - even easier to "straphang"

[IrishMike]

.............Some committee members echoed complaints from critics who have suggested that the border plan would overburden a National Guard that is already stretched by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. But Blum said the border program, coupled with the approximately 71,000 Guard members deployed overseas, still leaves more than 350,000 Army and Air Guard available for other homeland defense or disaster assistance.................

[mystery-ak]

I am in central Il...my hubby's unit has been to Iraq and is rotating back in 07.....my son's unit is not going so he transferred to another unit that is....

[houeto]

Our National Guard forces are currently at 460,000. Less than 20% are currently overseas in Afganistan and Iraq. 6000 troops are nothing!

[CPT Clay]

Yes we are...
Just got 5000 back from Iraq in Dec
625 from Afganistan 2 week ago
Have Several thousand going to Iraq this year.

This is just in Texas.

We are central to this border mission and Hurricane season is upon us.

Yes we are a little thin.

If any of you Texan's know of anyone who would like to enlist(lots of bonuses,perks and etc.) FREEPMAIL Me

[ohioWfan]

There was a map of all the National Guard troops in the country with numbers..........after the dopey leftists said that the Guard couldn't go to NOLA because they were all in Iraq.

There are PLENTY of available Guard personnel.

I'll see if I can find the map for you.

[GVnana]

like to know if the "talking point" has any truth behind it

It doesn't. My son's entire Guard unit hasn't been deployed yet. They're slated for Afghanistan in 2007. I seem to remember Rumsfeld saying only 5% of the US military personnel is deployed in the ME. Whatever the numbers, the vast majority is stateside.

BTW my son's unit would LOVE to be deployed on the border. They see border defense as exactly the reason the Guard exists.